Apps with trackers

brandy078

How do you guys handle apps with trackers, but you need the app?
E.g. the payment app from my bank does have 4 trackers; Adjust analytics, Google Crashlytics, Google Firebase Analytics and Sentry Crashreporting.

I don't want to torpedy my privacy with those apps.

Any suggestion is very much apprecheated

stupidcreature

brandy078 Analyzing trackers via Exodus is a poor practice, because Exodus' analysis techniques are poor and does not detect a lot of trackers (e.g. renaming the file for the tracker is enough to throw Exodus detection off). Exodus' way of deciding what things even are trackers are also doubtful. Finally, counting the number of trackers is enumerating badness (which is a bad thing).

Eagle_Owl

brandy078
I have been using NextDNS with corresponding filter lists for three years now.
You can also configure RethinkDNS in a similar way without an app (NextDNS has a much nicer user interface).

All spying/tracking apps that do not stop their official work when their spying is prevented will still work with blocklists in NextDNS/RethinkDNS or similar solutions. solutions will still work.
Advantage of such DNS filter solutions without apps: no increased energy consumption on the smartphone!

Advantage of NextDNS: You can see which domains have been blocked in a browser tab (statistics).
You can therefore see how effective NextDNS is and whether and how often your app has tried to call home.
And if your app is no longer working due to blocking, you can deactivate the filter if necessary.

job_shredder69

A few things come to mind.

Use the browser
Use RethinkDNS to isolate the app. Block trackers, and only allow the necessary domain for it to function.
Use a separate profile, work, or private space.

I personally use #1 because I don't need to look at my bank account everyday nor do I use the tap to pay feature.

Could you tell us your workflow with this bank app?

router99

job_shredder69 let's say one uses a VPN. Does logging into your bank from multiple IPs/locations still work every time you log in?

brandy078

job_shredder69 I can pay with a virtual card similar to Google pay or Apple pay. Online would not work in this specific Case.

job_shredder69

router99 This is one of the reasons I don't use a VPN anymore. I don't like the hassle of getting my account flagged for suspicious activity so I just use a regular connection. Mind you, your IP rotates depending on your location.

What I used to do before was I used RethinkDNS' split tunnel, and two browsers. One browser with VPN for general browsing, and Vanadium without VPN for banks.

brandy078

router99 Logging in with VPN works

brandy078

stupidcreature I understand. Ist there a better data base or a better app than exodus to search for tracking in apps?
Or am I just paranoid ;)

stupidcreature

brandy078 This is just a bad practice in general. Instead of searching for some kind of mysterious trackers, consider just using more open source apps and regulating your usage of non-foss ones.

brandy078

Eagle_Owl

stupidcreature words of wisdom. Thx